October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The number of U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq equals 6,614. The number of women, in the same period, killed as the result of domestic violence in the US equals 11,766.

Domestic violence is a lot more prevalent that you might think and it's time to do something about it. As a matter of fact, Broome County District Attorney Gerald Mollen says more work needs to be done to prevent domestic violence, not only through law enforcement and the justice system, but from residents reporting suspected incidents. If you witness a domestic assault or are a victims, you can get help by calling the Crime Victims Assistance Center in Binghamton. The crisis line number is (607) 722-4256 or you can call the SOS Shelter at (607) 754-4340.

But there is something you can do to raise awareness and that is to wear purple. Broome County residents are encouraged to wear purple on Wednesday, October 16^th as a symbol of domestic violence awareness month. Governor Cuomo has also asked New Yorkers to wear purple to show support for the campaign.

“New York State is committed to providing the victims of domestic violence the protections and justice they need, and ensuring that offenders are appropriately penalized for their atrocious actions,” Governor Cuomo said. “The designation of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and our Shine the Light campaign seeks to raise awareness of what New Yorkers can do to help combat domestic violence and sends a message in our communities that it will not be tolerated in this state.”

If the death rates above didn’t scare you into realizing something needs to be done, here’s more:

30% of women and 5.3% of men are killed in the United States by an intimate partner. The number of gay and bisexual men who experience domestic violence is similar to heterosexual women at 2 in 5. Think your teenage daughter doesn’t know what domestic violence is? Think again. The chance that a girl of high school age in the U.S. experiences violence in a dating relationship is 1 in 3. And if all that still isn’t enough, this definitely screams the need to break the cycle: the worldwide, likelihood that a man who grew up in a household with domestic violence grows up to be an abuser is 3 to 4 times more likely than if he hadn't.

In addition to wearing purple, more information on domestic violence can be found by calling the Family Violence Prevention Council at (607) 778-2153.